


Keep Me From Harm

by doctorxdonna (badxwolfxrising)



Series: Earth Girls Are So Not Easy [3]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Light Angst, Male-Female Friendship, UST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-07
Updated: 2015-03-07
Packaged: 2018-03-16 16:39:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3495416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badxwolfxrising/pseuds/doctorxdonna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the media room, the Doctor and Donna talk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep Me From Harm

It was growing late in the evening, or maybe early in the morning. Time sort of lost semblance of meaning when they were just drifting in the Vortex. Without the rising of the sun to indicate the passage of time, it was easier to lose track of it, Donna noticed. Still, the body had its own clock that cared not for the rise and fall of suns and moons, and when she was tired, she tumbled herself into her bed on the TARDIS. Evidently, for all his prattling on about superior Time Lord biology and the reduced need for sleep, the Doctor’s body must’ve had a similar clock, because here he was, his head drooping dangerously close to her shoulder on the couch as the credits to Earth Girls Are Easy rolled across the media room’s viewing screen. Now his hair was tickling her bare skin.

“Oi, Spaceman, you awake?” she asked, elbowing him gently. His headed lolled the other direction and he sighed, but didn’t answer. Dead asleep. “Figures. Superior biology my arse. Run yourself ragged across the universe, you’ll still need a kip every now and then. You can’t tell me it was Geena Davis that put you to sleep.”

She brushed a lock of hair fondly from his forehead and thought briefly of the circumstances that had caused their paths to cross for the second time. She still felt so incredibly lucky to have found the Doctor again after having let him walk away the first time, like finding the winning lotto ticket you thought you’d accidentally binned. But more than that, the Doctor was shaping up to be the best mate she’d ever had. And as many incredible people as they met on their journey’s around the universe, he still picked her, Donna Noble, as his companion. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get it, what he saw in a temp from Chiswick, but she was grateful for his friendship, for the amazing things he’d shown her, the lessons she’d learned, the personalities she’d encountered. There was no life quite like life aboard the TARDIS, and she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

She couldn’t help but think though that one day, the Doctor would probably like to trade her. For someone who was smarter, or quicker, or younger, or prettier. More anything really, because Donna knew she wasn’t the most remarkable of specimens, which was why it flummoxed her that the Doctor seemed to like her so much. Her own mother didn’t seem to like her as much as the Doctor did at times, and that was saying something.

“Mmmm, Donna...what are you doing?” the Doctor muttered groggily, lifting his head to look at her.

“Playing with your hair, apparently,” she said, extricating her hand with a guilty expression on her face. “And thinking. I got lost in my thoughts and the forest of your hair. There’s something irresistibly ruffly about it. Sorry.”

“I wasn’t complaining. Felt nice, actually,” he muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and casting a sidelong glance to see if the last comment would earn him a slap. When it passed without judgment, he continued. “What were you thinking about?”

“Oh, you know. Just stuff,” she said, looking down and toying with the ends of her hair.

“Right,” he snorted. “You gave me a head rub because you were just thinking about this fall’s hot new color schemes or celebrity gossip. What’s really bothering you, Donna?”

“It’s nothing, really. I’m probably just being stupid,” she insisted.

“I’d highly doubt that. You’re brilliant,” the Doctor said automatically.

“So you say, but I think the jury’s still out to lunch on that one. It’s just...well, I was wondering. All these places we go in the universe, all these people we meet...so many of them are more clever, more useful, more vibrant than me...I guess I just can’t help but wonder why you haven’t replaced me yet. And if it isn’t just a matter of time before you do,” she said, trying to keep her voice from wavering, but failing.

“Oh, Donna,” he said, when he saw the effect the admission had on her. “Donna Noble, you’re clever, useful, and vibrant. And strong, compassionate, loyal, friendly, and my best mate to boot. I could never replace you, nor would I want to. Team TARDIS, you and me. Besides, someone has to keep me out of trouble,” he said cheekily, attempting to lighten the darker tone the conversation had taken.

“Anyone could keep you out of trouble,” Donna said stiffly.

“No, I don’t think they could. It wasn’t anyone who stopped me from myself when I destroyed the empress of the Racnoss. It wasn’t anyone who held my hand at Pompeii and was willing to share the burden of responsibility with me. It wasn’t anyone who was there after Jenny, the Library, Midnight. It was you, Donna, just you. Not anyone else, and I wouldn’t have wanted it to be. Honestly,” he said, giving her a meaningful look. “You keep me from harm, you look out for me like only a true mate would and I…” he stopped.

“You what?”

“I love you for it,” he said, the words coming out in a rush. “But like you love your sister or really, really good friend. Because we’re just mates. Just so there’s no confusion. I don’t need a repeat of Martha.”

Donna stared at him, stunned. “You...what?”

“I...love you?” he repeated, sounding uncertain and scooting out of slapping distance.

“That’s what I thought you said,” she said. “I just never thought I’d ever hear you use those words, and especially not to me.”

 

“Donna,” he asked, looking at her wide-eyed. “After everything we’ve been through together, how could I not love you?”

“You’ve changed, you know. The old you couldn’t have said that you love someone. What happened?” she asked.

“You happened. Donna, traveling with you has made me want to be a better man. Like in Pompeii, when you asked me to just save someone. I’ve found that above all, I can’t bear to disappoint you. And so I’ve tried to be better,” he said earnestly.

“Doctor, you’re the best man I know,” she said, placing her hands over his hearts. “Well, the best alien man I know, at any rate. Grandad’s the best human man I know.”

“Your grandad is a fine fellow,” the Doctor agreed sagely.

“Well,” Donna said, getting up from the couch. “It’s getting late. I should be getting to bed, probably.”

“Goodnight, Donna,” the Doctor said fondly.

“Oh, and Spaceman? Thank you. For everything,” she said, smiling at him as she turned to leave the room.

“You’re welcome,” he whispered, staring wistfully after her.


End file.
